Chapter 40
The fox doll had the brightest, most sparkling eyes. The moment I saw that oddly familiar gaze, I cried out inwardly.
‘It’s Lycian!’
For some reason, my chest swelled. All at once, I wanted that fox doll more than anything.
I turned to look at Lycian and, feigning nonchalance, said,
“That fox doll.”
“The pale yellow one?”
“Yeah….”
He stared at me for a long moment, then let out a small snort of laughter. For some reason, my stomach tightened.
‘What?’
I blinked rapidly and looked away, but he took my hand and led me toward the stall.
“Shopkeeper.”
At Lycian’s call, the man who had been arranging the display case turned around.
He cocked one eyebrow and asked,
“Thinking of trying your hand at archery? Who’s shooting?”
“I am.”
“Hmm… You’ve got a solid build on you, young man.”
The shopkeeper gave Lycian an appraising once-over and grinned. Then he held out his palm.
“Ten rubels per round.”
“That’s pricey. You must be making a killing.”
“At this price? I’m barely breaking even! We don’t deal in cheap prizes here. All handcrafted, all expensive.”
I quickly cut in and paid the ten rubels. I wanted the fox doll, yes—but more than that, I wanted to see Lycian shoot.
After pocketing the money, the shopkeeper vigorously wiped down the toy bow with a clean towel and handed it to Lycian.
“See that red line marked on the floor? Shoot from there. Arrows are in the barrel.”
The barrel near the red line was filled to the brim with arrows.
Without any particular preparation, Lycian picked one up and set it to the string.
The scattered onlookers gathered again. Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
“Don’t know what that young man does, but he’s seriously handsome!”
“No kidding.”
“Is the one with him his lover?”
Again with the assumption that we were a couple. My face flared hot, and I rubbed my cheek for no reason.
‘Thank God I changed my hair color.’
With this much attention, I’d stand out immediately.
As for how I changed it—I bought a newly stocked item from the General Shop: ‘Hair Dye (Single-Use, Random Color)’ for 100 coins.
The randomness made me nervous… but fortunately, it turned out to be a perfectly ordinary shade.
Thunk!
Lycian released the string. The arrow sliced through the air and struck the platinum-colored fox doll dead on.
“Ooooh—”
“He’s good!”
Cheers and applause erupted from all sides. I beamed and clapped enthusiastically.
Lycian brought the fox doll over and handed it to me. I took it happily and muttered,
“Thank you….”
“Anything else? See something you want?”
“No, this is enough.”
“Then wait a moment.”
With a faint smile, he turned back and drew the bowstring again. Apparently, there were other prizes he had his eye on.
Half burying my face in the soft fox fur, I watched him.
The focused set of his face. The muscle defined beneath his sleeve. It made my thoughts spin.
Thunk!
“Ooooh—bullseye!”
“He’s incredible!”
Lycian shot about seven arrows in a row. Every single one hit its mark. And not just that—he deliberately picked off the smallest, most expensive-looking items.
The shopkeeper’s complexion gradually turned ashen.
“Wow, he’s insane! A perfect shot every time!”
“How is he hitting something that tiny from that far?”
“And with that flimsy bow….”
Just as the shopkeeper seemed on the verge of fainting from catastrophic losses, Lycian lowered the bow.
He had shot exactly ten times.
For reference, the ten rubels wasn’t per shot. For just ten rubels, you could shoot as many times as you wanted until you decided to stop.
Hands trembling, the shopkeeper wrapped each prize and placed them into a large box.
Carrying the box, Lycian came over to me and said with a gentle smile,
“I’ll give them all to you, Muriel. Ah—except one.”
“Is it really okay to win this much…?”
“Why wouldn’t it be? It’s not illegal.”
That was true, but still.
With an awkward smile, I tugged at his sleeve.
“L-let’s go somewhere else. Quickly.”
It was hard to endure the shopkeeper’s resentful glare.
We found a suitable inn, rented a room, and went upstairs.
First, we set the box on the wooden table and took out the prizes.
There was a silver brooch that looked expensive, a crystal ornament, a lapis lazuli bracelet, and even a pair of gold couple rings.
“This isn’t real gold… is it?”
I stared at the two rings in disbelief, then lightly bit one with my molars.
A faint tooth mark appeared on the thin, threadlike band.
“It’s real gold.”
Lycian sealed the verdict. My mouth fell open.
“They’re not that expensive. The band’s only as thick as yarn. Don’t feel guilty.”
He spoke casually and took the rings from me.
I wondered what he was doing as he quietly lifted my left hand.
“…!”
Realizing what was about to happen, my eyes went wide.
Sure enough, Lycian slipped one of the rings onto my ring finger. Astonishingly, it fit perfectly.
“Take it.”
After saying that, he tucked the other ring into his pocket. I blinked blankly, then blurted out without thinking,
“Aren’t you going to wear one?”
A few seconds of silence passed before it hit me. That question had not been appropriate.
‘We’re not even dating, and I’m asking him to wear a couple ring with me?!’
My face ignited instantly. Flustered, I babbled whatever came to mind.
“No, I mean—if you want to wear it too, then, well—”
“…….”
“Or you can sell it! It’s your prize! Do whatever you want….”
Seriously, what is wrong with me?
I squeezed my eyes shut and bit my lip, feeling like I might lose my mind.
Then I heard Lycian’s voice, laced with laughter.
“Alright. I’ll wear one too.”
“I’m not saying you have to….”
“Calm down, Muriel.”
“…….”
It felt like the feelings I wanted to hide had been laid completely bare. I wanted to dig a hole and crawl into it.
But there was nowhere to hide in this room, so I kept my head lowered and stole glances at him.
Instead of putting the ring on right away, he held it up to the light. Looking closer, it was the one with my tooth mark.
…Maybe it was my imagination, but his gaze seemed to linger right there.
A fierce urge to snatch it from his hand surged through me.
Just as my fingers twitched, Lycian suddenly held the ring out in front of me.
“Will you put it on for me, Muriel?”
I opened and closed my mouth for a long moment before firing back,
“Isn’t that a bit much…?”
“Why?”
“Why? Because….”
Does it make sense for people who aren’t even dating to put rings on each other?
‘What is this, some kind of engagement ceremony?!’
But Lycian was relentless. He held on to me and pestered me for over ten minutes. In the end, I gave up and, with a fine, whatever happens happens attitude, slipped the ring onto his finger.
“There. Happy? Let’s get ready for bed!”
“Not eating dinner?”
“I’m not hungry!”
“You will be….”
Ignoring the crooked smile tugging at his lips, I fled to the bathroom and locked the door.
I took off my clothes and washed under cold water for a long time before realizing—
I hadn’t brought a change of clothes.
Early the next morning.
Beep beep beep— beeri-beeri-beep— bee-yung bee-yung—!
I’d asked the system for a morning call, and it woke me up right on time.
But the notification sound was infuriating.
Beep beep beep— beeri-beeri-beep— bee-yung bee-yung—!
‘Ugh, it’s so loud…! I’m up! Turn it off!’
I smacked the pillow in irritation, and the system immediately fell silent.
Frowning deeply, I pushed myself up in bed.
It was currently 4 a.m. There was a reason I’d gotten up this early.
And that reason was—
“Muriel, did you sleep well?”
“…?”
Something soft and fluffy brushed against my lips. Startled, I nearly toppled backward.
When I calmed down and looked closely, the thing that had just kissed me (…) was the fox doll we’d won yesterday.
“What are you doing…?”
I asked, dumbfounded. Lycian burst into a bright, boyish laugh.
In his hand, besides the fox doll, was another small stuffed animal.
‘What is that now?’
I narrowed my eyes and examined it carefully.
Tiny ears. A pink nose. Long whiskers. Light brown fur across its back and a white belly.
“…A hamster?”
“Yeah. We won this yesterday too.”
“There was a hamster doll…?”
Now I was doubly dumbstruck.
Holding the fox and hamster dolls in each hand, Lycian made them kiss like a puppet show.
He even pressed his own lips to the hamster’s tiny mouth with a little mwah.
I stared blankly at the absurd scene, then suddenly realized.
‘That’s an indirect kiss…!!’